1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus including connecting members that are arranged movably to a main body so as to be connectable to and separable from toner containers for containing a toner therein, in conjunction with an operation of mounting and removing the toner containers to enable formation of toner conveying paths.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, an image forming apparatus is required to be supplied with a toner along with the consumption of the toner. Therefore, the image forming apparatus includes a removable toner container. The toner container generally includes a shutter capable of opening and closing a discharge port so as not to leak the toner through the toner discharge port. The shutter is arranged so as to be opened in conjunction with an operation of mounting the toner container when the toner container is mounted to an apparatus main body.
As described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-15826, a toner container including a stretchable pump portion has been proposed hitherto. The toner container discharges the toner by a pressure generated when the pump portion is stretched and compressed.
An apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-15826 has the following configuration for preventing the toner discharged through the discharge port of the toner container by the pressure of the pump portion from leaking from the discharge port to spill out in the apparatus. Specifically, the apparatus includes a connecting portion that moves so as to be brought into contact with and separated away from the toner discharge port in conjunction with an operation of mounting and removing the toner container so that the discharge port of the toner container can be connected when the toner container is mounted. A toner conveying path capable of bringing the toner container and the toner receiving portion into contact with each other and separating the toner container and the toner receiving portion away from each other is arranged to enhance sealing properties.